Employment and Apprenticeships: Findings from the Longitudinal

Study

Graeme Douglas and Rachel HewettVICTAR

Department of Disability Inclusion and Special Needs, University of Birmingham

Sue KeilRNIB

Overview National picture Brief overview of findings to date

– Pathways– Preparation at school

Views of readiness for employment

National Picture Labour Force Survey – analysis by Rachel

Hewett. Aged 16 - 25 aggregated over 12 most recent quarters from October 2011 to September 2014:– Long term disabled with seeing difficulties

27.8%– Seeing difficulties 34.2%– Total 52.8%

Level of qualification is key predictor of employment success for this population

Participants in employment or apprenticeships

13 participants have been in employment/ apprenticeship– Generally less severe visual impairments have

made this transition; none using Access to Work

Types of apprenticeships: Accountancy; Computing; Sales; Retail; Customer service

Types of employment: Retail; Administration; Catering; Accountancy; Customer service; Childcare; Computer programming; Horticulture

Apprenticeships 16 hoped to find an apprenticeship 5/16 secured apprenticeships (2 through speculative

applications; 2 through support from Connexions; 1 following a course in employability skills)

Important transition planning remains flexible– 4 participants could not find anything suitable to

apply for;– 5 made alternative plans (employment; college;

university); 1 applied but very competitive and did not get a place; 1 missed the deadline for applications

Disclosure of Visual Impairment: Autumn 2013 interviews (N=10) All participants had disclosed their visual impairment

at various points of the application process Six reported adjustments which were made by their

employer, whilst four did not believe this necessary Participants would make their own adjustments:

– Magnifying images on the screen/changing text size

– Using low vision aids– Making adjustments to the computer to make it

easier to use (e.g. resolution)

Preparation (at school)

A quarter had received careers advice specifically in relation to visual impairment– Uncertainty of where to go to receive specialist

careers advice Mixed experiences:

– ‘Experts’ offering misguided advice – e.g. inappropriate jobs or a very narrow focus

– Needed to be at the right time – i.e. when looking for employment

Preparation

Work experience placement at school – most received, and generally very positive

Experience of paid work – fewer have this (particularly cf. general population)

Access to work– Three in five had never heard of it– Gap in knowledge about available support

and responsibility for providing it– “I don’t know, I have never thought of that

one…I have heard of it [Access to Work], but I don’t know that it really is”

Views of independence and readiness for employment Taken from Douglas and Hewett (2014) Posed different scenarios to investigate

attitudes towards independence in the workplace, e.g.– “[Having agreed adjustments]... If you went in

the following day and they had forgotten about the modifications that you needed, could you tell me how you think you would deal with this”

Two important themes

How active/passive the young people felt they should be in solving the problem (active-passive dimension)

To whom (themselves or others) the young person attributed the responsibility for the problem and its solution (internalizer-externalizer dimension).

Interaction - extremes

Types / approaches:– Active- internalizer– Passive- internalizer– Active- externalizer– Passive- externalizer

Different approaches to solving employment-based problems…

Active – Internalizer

Examples of potential strengths Examples of potential weaknesses

1. Keen to embrace ECC2. Can communicate needs

clearly3. Will be grateful for help if given4. Self reliant

 

1. Slow to ask for accommodations

2. Reach crisis point before seeking help  

Focused upon taking action Responsibility for the problem / action lies

with self

Passive – Internalizer

Examples of potential strengths Examples of potential weaknesses

1. Recognise importance of ECC2. Will be grateful for help if given3. Patient and easy going

 

1. Unlikely to ask for accommodations

2. Reaches crisis point3. Can find communication of

needs difficult4. Learned helplessness, can

give up, problems may be seen as impossible to solve

5. Lacks confidence and can self-blame

• Focused upon action by others• Responsibility for the problem / action lies with self

Active – Externalizer

Examples of potential strengths Examples of potential weaknesses

1. Will communicate requirements / accommodations clearly

2. Will seek and expect help3. Campaigners for change

 

1. Less willing to learn new skills in relation to ECC

2. May be perceived as challenging and demanding of help / accommodations

3. Expectations of others can be too high 

Focused upon taking action Responsibility for the problem / action lies

with others

Passive – Externalizer

Examples of potential strengths Examples of potential weaknesses

1. When asked, will communicate requirements / accommodations

2. Will expect help  

1. Less willing to learn new skills in relation to ECC

2. May be perceived as defensive (‘it’s not my fault’)

3. Wait for others to identify and solve problems;

4. Reaches crisis point 5. Lacks confidence and can

blame others 

Focused upon action by others Responsibility for the problem / action lies

with others

Finding the balance

Preparation: teaching to maximise young person’s independence by the time they reach transition.

Balanced with greater understanding of entitlements; how to discuss and negotiate this with the employer (and others).

Example case studies and resources

Future Insight (RNIB Cymru)– The development of an integrated service

which seeks to develop individuals independence skills, provide work placements, and train employers

RNIB ENABLER resources– Employment assessment toolkit:

Assessment tool with associated action plan

Reference:

Douglas, G., and Hewett, R. (2014) Views of independence and readiness for employment amongst young people with visual impairments in the UK. The Australian Journal of Rehabilitation Counselling. Vol. 20 (2). pp 81 - 99.

ENABLER project – search on web for “rnib enabler project”